The Brief (2004) s02e02 Episode Script
Lack of Affect
1
Acorn Media
Biscuits.
You go and get your
favorite biscuits. Thank you.
Really need you
to help Mummy today, okay?
Put them in the trolley for me.
Thank you.
There you go.
Excuse me, do you know
where the tomato paste is?
Excuse me.
Are you deaf or something?
No.
Oh, sorry.
Um, tomato paste?
Do you know where it is?
Yes.
So, where is it?
They used to keep all
the tomato products together,
except for the fresh tomatoes,
obviously.
Well, thanks a lot
for your help.
Okay, sweetheart.
Although
it's not particularly obvious
unless it's impossible
to keep fresh foods
with canned or bottled foods.
Well, I'm sure there's
other customers needing you.
Oh.
You want me to go away.
Where do you live?
Just off the common.
You don't even work here?
What the hell do you think
you're doing?
I'll put these
in the back of your car.
What the hell do you think
you're doing?
Just stay away!
Sorry. Sorry.
Help! Help!
It's okay.
He's my son.
He's autistic.
He has Asperger's.
He doesn't like to be touched.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry he frightened you.
JESS:
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Come on, darling.
Keep the eggs on the top.
JESS: I'm sorry.
I didn't realize.
I thought I was helping.
I thought she was nice.
She was.
But maybe you'd given her
enough help, eh?
Come on, Danny Boy.
Back to the ranch.
Morning, Mr. Farmer.
Two messages for you, miss.
Mrs. Fry rang.
Ray, you haven't seen
those scene of crime photos
from the Ottway case, have you?
The boy with Asperger's?
He's accused
of killing his mother.
Sorry, sir.
The bloody woman's persecuting
me about my hours billed.
You were supposed
to soften her up.
I've tried, Miss Steyn,
but she's made of stern stuff.
Yes, well, I'm made of sterner.
I don't want to have to speak
to her again, okay?
Loud and clear.
Oh, sir, there's something
on your murder.
Mr. Tallis has been trying
to get hold of you.
Apparently,
your mobile's switched off.
Yeah.
That's what he thinks.
Meredith Tallis?
Morning.
- Morning.
- Morning, Millie.
HENRY: Yeah, he's the Q.C.
on my murder case.
Total charm bypass.
Do you know him?
We live in interesting times.
Here. You left these
in the living room.
They got mixed up
with my indecent exposure.
Oh, cheers.
You are a very lucky man,
Henry Farmer.
Paul, she's my landlady.
Get over it.
BRACEWELL:
Landlady.
Little chats in the kitchen,
pushing past each other
to get to the bathroom.
Sorry, thought the door
was locked.
Yeah, you ever thought
you might be giving this
a teeny bit too much thought?
Mr. Ottway, at some point,
you'll have to answer
our questions
unless you want to spend
the foreseeable future
in this hospital,
do you understand?
HENRY: You see, Dan,
for your case to go to trial,
everyone needs to be comfortable
that you understand
the evidence against you
and you'll be able to instruct
Mr. Tallis and me.
Otherwise, you're going to have
to go through
a different sort of trial
called a fitness
to plead hearing.
So maybe you could tell us
your understanding
of why we're here today.
Green.
Green.
The walls?
It's like a noise in my eyes.
Shouting.
Green stops me thinking.
Better?
Much.
Quieter.
Thank you, Mr. Farmer.
Don't mention it.
Now, let's run over
a few things.
The night your mum died
I don't remember anything.
Anything at all?
What about earlier
in the evening?
Your aunt had dinner with you.
Do you remember that?
Radius V20.
It has a microplaned tip.
They use lasers to grind them,
so it's always smooth,
so you don't get, like,
blobs of ink.
Which is good, because it means
your writing's very legible.
The Crown is bound to point out
the remarkable convenience
of Mr. Ottway's memory lapse,
given the weight of the forensic
evidence against him.
The shrinks in here all seem
convinced it's genuine.
Whatever the case, I'd say unfit
to plead won't play.
HENRY:
Yeah, I.Q.'s above average.
He's certainly mentally
competent to stand trial.
Of course, getting him to talk
is another matter.
So it would seem.
Although, how much of that
is due to Asperger Syndrome
and how much is trauma
over his mother's death?
Bugger.
I should tell you, Farmer,
that I have a case coming up
in the Court of Appeal
which requires much of my time
and attention.
So I want you to bone up
on the shrink reports.
Keep me
absolutely up to speed, clear?
Clear.
I've been asking around
about you, Farmer,
and it seems you need to be kept
on a short leash.
Woof, woof.
Ray, we need to talk through
the implementation
of the new fee structure.
I'm back from court
sometime after 7:00.
Would you mind bearing with me
for a sec?
Sorry, Mrs. Steyn, no can do.
No such word as "can't," Ray.
I have a prior engagement,
I'm afraid.
Well, rearrange.
If I'm prepared to stay late
for the good of chambers
Well, with respect, miss,
you don't have a family
to think of anymore.
Well, she doesn't.
Sorry about that.
Mr. Ottway.
Mr. Tallis is in court today,
I'm afraid.
Sends his apologies.
Did he say anything Dan
When you saw him
at the hospital?
A little.
Please.
Enough for us to think
there's no point contesting
his fitness to plead.
A trial, though.
He's not up to that, surely.
Depending on
the psychiatric reports,
there's a strong chance
we can get your son's charge
downgraded to manslaughter
on the day.
That's as long as he decides
to plead guilty, obviously.
They'd still put him in prison,
though.
The tariff for manslaughter
is considerably less
than that for murder.
Well,
I suppose anything's better
than leaving him to rot
in that place.
He's not eating, not sleeping.
Mind you, neither am I.
It's just
I know he did it.
I'm not that stupid, but
His mum Dan was everything
to Bridget, you know?
She used to do everything
for him.
See everyone
And Dan, was he devoted to her?
In his way.
He doesn't show affection.
Part of his condition.
Put it this way, he's 22,
and Bridget and I hadn't spent
so much as a night in a hotel
without him.
The grouse is in season
and always very good here.
For God's sake, where am
I supposed to take you?
Some minimalist sushi hell?
McDonald's?
After the zoo?
You don't remember, do you?
Of course I do.
It was pizza.
The car stank of vomit
for months.
Well, it was just the once.
I'll have the grouse.
Do you know Meredith Tallis,
Dad?
And for me.
Don't bother about the celeriac.
Very well.
Well, I think you'll find
with Meredith,
it's very much
"follow my leader."
How's your new accommodation?
Yeah, it's fine.
It's perfectly comfortable.
Is she pretty, this colleague
of yours you're sharing with?
If it had been a chap,
you'd have told me his name.
Millie Marsh.
Very pretty,
totally unattractive.
[Chuckles]
Really.
Um, uh Lafite.
I'm serious.
I know you're a hopeless
old romantic,
but there's really nothing
going on.
This case that I'm a junior on,
the boy, the defendant he's
supposed to have killed his mum.
His dad was telling me
that they've never spent
a night apart.
Made me think of all the nights
I've been away from Zak.
Not worth counting by now.
Well, children can be
surprisingly resilient,
on the whole.
It helps to remember that.
Will you be able to visit me
in prison?
Of course I will.
Don't get rid of me that easily.
[Chuckles]
Is that a joke?
Not much of one.
It's called remand, right?
Until your case comes to court,
prison instead of hospital
because they've decided
there's nothing wrong with you.
But I still don't remember.
Well, you've just got to
tell them what you can.
Will you be a witness?
No, they won't be calling me.
I wasn't there, was I?
If I had been
[Sighs]
Point is, Dan, you plead guilty
to manslaughter, yeah?
Doesn't matter
what you remember.
Please don't.
Sorry. A bit late.
I can't plead guilty,
Mr. Farmer.
Okay.
There's a lot of evidence
that we need to try
to understand
before it gets discussed
in court.
Forensic evidence, Dan, which
links you to your mum's death.
If you plead guilty,
we don't have to worry about it.
How can I plead guilty
if I'm not guilty?
Why would I want to kill Mum?
Look, I know you loved her
very much.
What happens in court
won't change that.
I don't tell lies.
Tell him, Dad.
I never tell lies.
I didn't kill her, Mr. Farmer.
I'm not guilty.
Oh, for pity's sake.
I don't think
he's going to budge.
He says not guilty,
and if he's fit to plead,
he's fit to decide his own plea.
I'll speak
to the Ottways' solicitor
about reassigning the brief
to a junior in my chambers.
This is far from ideal with me
tied up in the appeals court.
I'd assumed this would be
tidied away quickly.
I can handle it, Meredith.
Dan trusts me.
You could learn to do the same.
Meredith.
Cleo.
How delightful.
So sorry to hear about
your marital troubles.
Must be a terrible blow,
the prospect of desertion
at your age.
Although, it's certainly
not uncommon.
No, it's not.
Sir.
Yes, all right.
Do forgive me.
Lovely surprise.
Bye.
That silver tongue of his.
[Doorbell rings]
Hi. Come in.
Laundry service.
Thanks.
Why have you got your coat on?
It's like an oven in here.
Yeah. Just came in.
Dan's still not eating.
You know what he's like.
Oh, God.
MIA:
Mum, don't start.
She's totally stressing out
about being a witness, you know.
I've tried telling her.
I mean, it's not like she's
doing the actual prosecution.
You shouldn't have to worry,
Chrissie love.
Do you want a coffee?
Well, actually,
it'll have to be tea.
Well, I've got to get on.
I'm meeting someone
from college, so
Right.
You're a star.
Haven't got an ironed shirt
left.
These for me to take away?
No.
I finally had a clear-out.
Bridget's stuff.
Reminds me.
I found this.
Doesn't look like Bridget's.
I thought one of you
might have left it.
Cheers, Uncle Graham.
Been missing that.
Listen, tell Dan
as soon as I get a day off,
I'll go in to see him.
Yeah.
You in tonight?
I thought I'd cook.
You can cook?
Well, it's a loose term.
Takeaway of your choice.
Can you afford it?
I saw that bankruptcy bloke
of yours
lurking around chambers
the other day.
Tebbott.
Oh, don't worry about him.
He's got one of those faces.
What's your poison, then?
Curry, pizza, Thai?
Surprise me.
As long as it's spicy.
I don't like bland.
You're on.
We're out of tea bags,
by the way.
Was it Dan's decision to move
out of the family house,
Dr. Lawrenson?
Your initial report said
he was very attached to his mum.
He was,
but he was certainly up
for a bit more independence.
When the place came up
at the halfway house,
he leapt at the chance.
Oh, once we'd repainted
his room.
Not fond of green.
So I've learned.
Where was his dad in all this?
He paid for the decorators.
It can be difficult
for some parents
to get behind a condition
like Asperger Syndrome.
You don't always get
an awful lot back.
It can seem like there aren't
any feelings there.
But there are?
Unfortunately, Asperger patients
are bright enough to know
just how different they are.
Like with Dan,
you know this trouble he'd had
with some of the local kids.
It's in the brief, yeah.
Kiera Allen.
He was really rattled by it.
I had to prescribe
an antidepressant for him.
So would you say
Dan was depressed
at the time
his mother was killed?
He was taking Rexorin for
symptoms of depression, yeah.
But, look, whatever
it looks like, Mr. Farmer,
Dan feels plenty.
Oh, Henry, I'm so sorry.
I completely forgot.
But Billy's taking me out
for dinner tonight.
I see.
I thought you looked a bit
Well, I can't guarantee
there'll be any leftovers.
God, I love those.
It's a bit extravagant,
isn't it?
Nah, practically
loaves and fishes.
Lucky Lotto finally lived up
to its name.
I thought you were supposed
to have given up gambling.
No, I'm supposed to have
given up losing money gambling.
Believe me,
three quid on scratch cards,
that's practically methadone.
[Buzzer]
I'll be right down.
- Millie and Billy?
- Don't go there.
If we end up getting married,
I'm fighting for Emily
and William on the invites.
See ya.
HENRY: It would be a fortnight,
I think.
BEN:
I really can't.
It won't be as bad as
Whose immortal soul
has she been feasting on?
Secret admirer.
Look, I'm sorry, Henry.
I'm chocka at the moment.
Ask Ray.
Greatly in demand at the moment,
Mr. Halliwell.
Bracewell's already turned me
down for an aggravated assault.
How hard can it be
to get a junior these days?
It's nice to be first
on your list, anyway.
Why don't you ask Millie?
She did her MPhil dissertation
on autism.
I'm not the only one who read
her C.V. when she joined, am I?
Autism.
You know all about it,
apparently.
I thought you knew.
And I know you prefer working
with Ben,
and you think I'm flaky
and a bit spoiled.
I don't think you're flaky.
CLEO:
Meredith.
Wait.
What a delightfully extravagant
gesture.
The only flowers I've received
in the last few years
have inevitably been accompanied
by an apology.
Your husband is clearly
a very misguided man.
Well
What is it
The price of everything
and the value of nothing?
No wonder you look so drawn.
I daresay it's the light.
Much softer in Le Caprice.
I'll talk to my secretary.
What?
Bastards.
These finagling little
MILLIE:
What?
Bastards.
Morning, Henry.
I've been here
quite a long time.
Aren't they going to start?
Bit of a hitch, Dan.
The prosecution
want to admit a new witness.
Kiera Allen.
They're saying
that you attacked her,
and the pattern of bruising
was like the bruising
found on your mum's body.
MILLIE:
It's called similar fact.
They'll claim
that it wasn't a coincidence
that two different people caused
such similar injuries.
Don't worry.
The judge will never allow it.
[Moans]
I didn't hit her.
It wasn't fair.
Mum said it wasn't fair.
She was the one
who called the police.
MILLIE: But you got a police
caution for attacking Kiera.
You can ask them.
Mum always had to call
the police
'cause of that girl, Kiera,
and her friends.
[Moans]
Sounds like
we should check it out.
Members of the jury,
Daniel Joshua Ottway,
suffers from the pervasive
developmental disorder
known as Asperger Syndrome.
In layman's terms,
he suffers from difficulties
understanding the emotions
and reactions of others.
If you like, he lacks empathy.
It may be that his mother,
Bridget Ottway,
angered or thwarted him
in some trivial way,
causing the self-centered
aspect of his personality
to come to the fore.
Whatever the case,
Daniel Ottway responded with
terrible and fatal violence,
using such force
that despite his condition,
he cannot have been ignorant
of the outcome,
which was her death.
In other words,
he intended to kill her.
Mrs. Ottway, was it usual,
when you had supper with your
sister-in-law, Bridget Ottway,
for your nephew to dine
separately?
Oh, yes, quite usual.
Sometimes Dan would eat with us,
but not often.
Bridget preferred it if he did.
Would she have preferred it
if he had that night?
I'll put it another way.
Was there any argument
between Bridget and Dan
about him not having supper
with you?
Not an argument.
A bit of back and forth.
You know, Bridget saying, "It'd
be nice if you wanted to eat
with your Auntie Chrissie
and me,"
that's all.
PEEL:
And what did Dan say to that?
CHRISSIE:
Just that he didn't want to
and he wanted it
on a tray upstairs.
Dan disagreed with his mum?
Disagreed, yes,
but just the usual.
So, this sort of disagreement
was something you'd seen before?
Yes, but
Thank you, Mrs. Ottway.
HENRY: Okay, I don't think we
can rely on the sympathy vote.
Dan's psychiatrist.
You know you mentioned she was
treating him for depression?
Yeah, he was on medication.
What kind of medication?
Rexorin.
MILLIE:
See?
I thought Rexorin rang a bell.
SSRIs, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah,
dosage, disclaimer.
Aha.
Side effects.
HENRY: I take back
everything I said about you.
[Dialing]
You been in the wars?
I've never fought in a war.
Oh.
Someone pushed me.
I didn't see who.
People are very ignorant
about Asperger Syndrome.
The best thing to do
is to try to blend in.
Look people in the eye,
but not too much,
don't go on about your
special interests and be boring,
try and show an interest
in the other person.
Your mum tell you that?
Yeah.
It's remarkably difficult,
actually,
because I'm not
particularly interested.
I know what you mean.
Do you?
Yeah.
I like to gamble.
To put it mildly.
Sometimes everything else
can seem like background noise.
You have to tune in,
like tuning in a radio.
Not a digital one.
HENRY:
Exactly.
Dan, we need to ask you about
some pills you were taking
around the time your mum died.
I wasn't taking any pills.
Rexorin?
No, they made me feel bad.
A lot of medicine doesn't work
the way it should
when I take it.
But you were taking them?
No. I told you.
I don't tell lies.
I stopped taking them
after a week.
Dr. Lawrenson said
she renewed the prescription
a few days before your mum died.
Maybe you didn't want your mum
to know
you'd stopped taking them.
She knew I had.
She agreed it was best for me
to stop.
She was the one
who was taking them.
Why do you think
Bridget was depressed?
You've met Dan.
She didn't say
she was depressed,
but she wouldn't.
Bridget was great
at getting help for Dan,
not so good
at getting help for herself.
She could seem like someone
who didn't need anything.
Or anyone.
So, yeah, yeah,
getting those tablets like that,
it makes sense.
It was okay.
She could say they were Dan's.
She made this for him
to help him recognize
what people were feeling.
She would have liked more kids.
Mr. Ottway, a small minority
of people can react to Rexorin
by becoming suicidal
or aggressive.
Now you think Bridget
suffocated herself, do you?
No, but the drugs could have
made her more aggressive.
No, look, I've told you.
However stressed out she was,
she would never take it out
on Dan.
But she might on someone else?
Yeah, well,
I had it in the neck sometimes,
if that's what you mean.
She was only human.
Look, I suppose my wife was on
a short fuse before she died.
Yeah.
That's what I do.
I throw myself into work,
as they say.
HENRY: Yeah. I can see.
You've done well.
It must have been hard
to be at home sometimes.
I was having an affair.
Miss Marsh, I believe
you're to be thanked
for keeping my son
off the streets.
MILLIE:
Oh. Henry.
Yes. Of course, you're
I mean, how do you do,
Your Honor?
- For your sins.
- MILLIE: Not at all.
He's perfectly adequate
as a flatmate.
I mean, delightful, obviously.
- Delightful.
- MILLIE: Great fun.
And the rent helps.
I see.
Strictly business, then.
As opposed to
Oh, yes.
Why, what's Henry said?
Thursday it is.
Dispose of that for me,
will you? Thank you.
MAUREEN: He's only taking her
out for dinner.
She's separated,
not about to take Holy Orders.
You would have thought
she'd have learned her lesson
as far as my learned friend's
concerned.
You know that her and Tallis
were an item years back.
That's nice.
Friends reunited sort of thing.
Dog returning to its vomit
more like.
Mrs. Ottway,
did your sister-in-law seem
her usual self
during your meal together
the night she died?
Yes, she did.
She didn't seem depressed?
No, I wouldn't say so.
Bit tired, maybe.
A bit tired.
Was Bridget Ottway aware
that you were having an affair
with her husband?
No.
That was the nature of your
relationship with Graham Ottway,
wasn't it?
You'll have to speak up.
We didn't mean it to
After Ted died, my husband,
we just got closer.
And then
We weren't proud of ourselves.
You kept your affair secret
from your sister-in-law?
Is that a yes, Mrs. Ottway?
Yes.
She had had such a hard time
of it, with Dan, I mean.
Neither of us
I know it sounds stupid,
but neither of us
wanted to hurt her.
HENRY: And yet
when your nephew announced
he was moving out
to sheltered accommodation,
you thought that Graham
would finally be free
to tell his wife
that he wanted a separation,
isn't that right?
Yes.
HENRY:
And did he tell her?
No.
HENRY: So, on the evening
of Bridget Ottway's death,
after a few glasses of wine,
isn't it true that you decided
to take matters
into your own hands
and tell her yourself?
No.
Oh, no.
HENRY: It would be a terrible
breach of trust, wouldn't it,
for Bridget to hear that her
sister-in-law and her husband
had been conducting
a relationship
for three years?
She reacted with more aggression
than you'd anticipated.
She'd been taking Rexorin,
to which some people react with
abnormally aggressive behavior.
You argued.
Perhaps if you asked questions
rather than made speeches,
Mr. Farmer,
and one question at a time
would help.
Mrs. Ottway,
can you tell the court
your reason for calling
your daughter
to come and collect you
from Bridget Ottway's house
the night she was killed?
I'd had a few drinks.
You'd had a few drinks,
as you say.
We all know what that's like.
Why didn't you call a taxi?
Mia often gives me a lift.
She didn't mind.
Even though she was 10 miles
away on the other side of town?
Was that usual for her
to come and collect you
after one of your cozy evenings
with Bridget?
Not usual, no, but
In fact, it took quite
exceptional circumstances
for her to come and rescue you,
didn't it?
I didn't
I just wanted her to come.
GRAHAM: This has got
nothing to do with anything.
Mr. Ottway, that jury made up
their minds about Dan
the moment they set eyes on him.
Now, I know Chrissie is upset,
but if we can raise one fraction
of a doubt in their minds
I've got Mum in tears outside.
We've got the beginning
of a chance with them.
What the hell
have you told them?
Let's all just calm down,
shall we?
Bit of breathing space, yeah?
MIA:
He's so weak.
You know, I used to think,
"great big Uncle Graham,"
you know,
even when Dad was alive,
'cause he was Dad's big brother
and he owned the business
and he always had
the shiny new car.
He could have left Bridget,
though,
if they were that unhappy,
I mean.
It suited him
to keep Mum on a string
and still look like
Mr. Great Guy,
great husband and that.
It makes me sick.
Relationships.
They seem to get more
complicated as people get older.
Less straightforward, anyway.
Dan's going to go to prison,
isn't he?
We're doing what we can.
[Knock on door]
ZAK: Come on.
Get your cards sorted, Dad.
Sorry.
I just got that stuff in
about Kiera Allen.
Background to Dan's caution.
Oh, great.
Thanks.
Upping your dose?
Methadone.
More like rehab.
I'm passing on my skills
to the younger generation.
Teaching Zak how to play poker.
Read 'em and weep.
Don't think I'm gonna be the one
doing the crying.
Dad.
It's like the pupil's
exceeding the master.
You're slaughtering me here.
Yeah, I know.
I met your dad today
outside court.
He introduced himself.
Oh, God.
Whatever he said, I'm sorry.
No, he was charming.
Seems very keen to see you
settled down, as he put it.
What can I say?
He's a judge.
All the awareness workshops
in the world
are not going to get him
to look at you
and think
"highly trained advocate."
Bet he checked out your legs.
Fairly obviously.
ZAK:
Dad. Stop talking.
You've been hiding your light
under a bushel.
County chess champion,
your dad said.
Middlesex under twelves.
And I was so impressed as well.
Are you in or what?
Yeah, yeah.
I'm in.
Just psyching you out.
- Green.
- Mia.
Let's have a look.
They said I couldn't have long.
Hey.
They treating you okay?
Sorry I haven't been in earlier.
I had a nightmare at college,
and with Pabs and I
breaking up
Breaking up what?
MIA:
Didn't your dad tell you?
The engagement, Danny Boy.
Mum's chuffed to bits,
of course,
since she kept going on
about us being too young.
So, is he not your boyfriend
anymore?
MIA: No.
To be honest, Dan,
I saw a different side of him
when your mum died.
I mean, he was completely crap.
I liked Pabs.
He was friendly.
You marry him, then.
I'd have to be gay.
And so would he.
[Laughs]
Mm.
PEEL: Detective Sergeant Kitson,
when you arrived at the scene
and found Bridget Ottway's body
in the hallway,
where was the defendant,
Daniel Ottway?
He was making himself
a cup of tea.
Yeah, my 10:15 cup of tea.
Only my 10:15 cup of tea.
He was keen to finish it
before we took him
to the police station.
Yeah, my 10:15 cup of tea.
Needed to finish
my 10:15 cup of tea.
Yeah, 10:15. Yeah.
A little bird
at the Court of Appeal tells me
this is your last shout, Henry.
Then I'll be sure to make it
count, Damian.
Pissing in the wind,
let's face it.
Boy killed his mother.
We all know if you'd let us
admit the similar-fact evidence
about his attack on Kiera Allen,
we could have had this
tidied away on day one.
Defendants, eh?
It's as though
they positively conspire
to prevent you getting in
a good round of golf.
A tired stereotype, Farmer.
If you'd bothered to consult
"Who's Who,"
you'd know my passion
is fell walking.
And according to my mate Liz
in his chambers,
highly specialist
Internet sites.
HENRY: DS Kitson,
had you already decided
that Dan Ottway
had killed his mother
when you took forensic evidence
from him that night?
No.
No, we followed procedure.
Really?
Does that procedure include
a directive
to not take forensic evidence
from any other parties
at the scene?
Such as Chrissie Ottway?
KITSON:
No, it does not.
Well, did you take any forensic
evidence from Mrs. Ottway?
KITSON:
No, we didn't.
HENRY:
Thank you.
Result.
GRAHAM: You've got to stop
making out
Chrissie's a murderer.
Dan killed his mum,
simple as that.
I've tried telling myself
otherwise, but he did.
He's very sure that he didn't.
Oh, he's very sure
when his baked beans
fall off his bloody toast,
something terrible's
gonna happen to him.
He's very sure
that when he goes through
three green lights in a row,
it's a disaster.
So it's easy to believe
that he might have killed
the one person in his life
that he couldn't bear to be
without for more than two hours?
The forensic evidence
is partial.
There were fibers found
on your wife's clothes
that didn't come from Dan
and they didn't come
from the carpet in the hall.
Chrissie had a motive.
Her behavior was strange.
Something happened between
her and Bridget that night.
No. No.
I know her.
I just know her.
And you know Dan.
Nobody knows him.
Not really, not even Bridget.
We used to call him E.T.
when he was little.
Did I tell you that?
Because it was like he was
visiting from another planet.
Like that made us feel better.
I'm sorry.
PEEL: Dr. Raeburn, your report
states that Bridget Ottway died
as a result of an obstruction
to her breathing.
Is it your professional opinion
that she was strangled?
I can't give
a definitive answer.
Typically, strangulation
produces a distinctive pattern
of bruising around the neck,
either from pressure of hands
placed around the neck
or tightening of a ligature.
According to your report,
there was bruising on the neck.
Yes, but that appeared to be
a continuation
of the bruising on her chest.
PEEL: Do you have any idea
what caused this bruising?
It was consistent with someone
applying great force
to her neck and torso,
possibly from kneeling
or sitting on it,
possibly from squeezing with
the arms rather than the hands.
The force on her neck
would have been enough
to stop her breathing.
[Fire alarm ringing]
There were also pressure bruises
to her upper arms
which showed quite distinct
hand imprints.
Do these suggest anything
to you?
REAN: I'm sorry, Mr. Peel.
We'll adjourn.
I'm sure this is just a drill,
everybody.
We'll adjourn.
Clear the court.
GRAHAM: Please don't touch him.
He doesn't like being touched.
Oh, God.
So much for progress.
Dan, it's okay.
Dan.
Damian.
Henry, what are you doing?
We've got to try and find a way
to get the jury to look at Dan
like a human being.
Damian, similar fact.
What about it?
Kiera Allen.
If you want her,
you can have her.
Be my guest.
What do you think?
They're both lovely,
but that one.
Touch of mutton?
No, no.
Just chic.
Oh, thanks, Mo.
I knew I could trust you
to be objective.
And discreet.
Mo.
What's she, uh
Women's things, Ray.
Oh.
Dr. Raeburn, the Crown
has been at pains
to refer to Bridget Ottway's
assailant as male.
Is there, in fact, any evidence
to indicate the sex
of the attacker?
- No.
- HENRY: None?
The handprints visible
on Bridget Ottway's upper arms?
Is it possible to tell if they
belong to a man or a woman?
No.
The size rules out anyone taller
than about 180 centimeters
or smaller than around 140,
so they don't come from a child.
But that's all you can conclude?
That they come
from an adult of medium size?
Yes.
HENRY:
You note in your report
that part of the pattern
of bruising on the arm
was this small,
more deeply imprinted area.
How do you explain this?
It came from a ring.
You can see two clear imprints.
If the assailant was kneeling,
as you say,
the ring was worn
on her left hand?
His or her left hand,
where a wedding ring would be?
RAEBURN:
Yes.
HENRY:
Thank you.
Who's that?
- Kiera Allen.
- Shit.
I'm sure it seemed like
a good idea at the time.
I'd rather be talked to.
Graham.
Don't know.
I don't know what to think.
You don't think that I
What I said in there about
wanting you to leave Bridget
I was waiting for you
to talk to her. You know that.
You know me.
I thought I knew Dan.
Yeah, well, you've not been
the best dad to him.
I understand.
If it was Mia,
I'd do whatever it takes, but
It's not right, Graham.
Well, it hasn't been right
from the start, has it?
Dan doesn't wear a ring.
HENRY: Miss Allen, you say you
were outside Dan Ottway's house
mucking about with your mates
when he attacked you,
is that right?
Yeah.
HENRY: This mucking about
included putting dog mess
through the letterbox,
didn't it?
No.
HENRY: When she was questioned
by the police
about the alleged attack,
Bridget Ottway said
that you had.
That was a different time.
It wasn't me anyway.
You'd followed Dan Ottway home
that day, hadn't you?
My lord, this hardly pertains
to similar fact.
I'm seeking to put the alleged
attack into context, my lord.
Were you and your mates
setting off bangers
just before Dan
supposedly attacked you?
We weren't hurting no one.
They just made a noise.
Yes.
Do you know what a pedophile is,
Miss Allen?
Is he allowed to ask me that?
Yes.
It's someone who does stuff
to children.
Why did you and your mates
call Dan Ottway a pedophile?
I don't know.
HENRY:
You think this is funny, do you?
No.
Had he ever approached you?
Approached?
- Spoken to you inappropriately?
- No.
- HENRY: Followed you?
- KIERA: No.
- HENRY: Touched you?
- KIERA: No.
So why did call him a pedophile?
I don't know.
'Cause he looks like one.
Thank you.
What do you think you're doing?
You're not leading in this case.
I think you'll find
that in your absence, I am.
In my absence, I expect you
to conduct this case
as I would conduct it myself.
You saw that jury.
For the first time,
they were starting,
just starting,
to see Dan as a victim
instead of a freak who wouldn't
think twice about killing.
That's a small price to pay
for admitting the similar fact
on Kiera's injuries.
I disagree.
You really don't care, do you,
as long as everything's done
your way,
excluding any possibility
of improvisation
or rolling with the punches.
I don't care to continue this.
Clearly, I should have heeded
your father's advice about you.
I shall be advising the client
that it is absolutely vital
to the success of this case
that he withdraw.
Heeded?
Who says "heeded"?
[Door slams]
Hey.
I don't want him to be
my barrister.
His eyes never look at me.
He doesn't like me.
He thinks I killed Mum.
Mr. Ottway
Dan
Every defense barrister
has to consider
the possible guilt of his client
if he's going to protect him
properly.
That way, the prosecution can't
spring any nasty surprises.
I can see your point,
but I prefer Mr. Farmer.
I think you're a wanker.
The client wanted Tallis to go
and me to stay.
So, what could I do?
Avoided making an enemy of an
eminent Q.C. in the first place?
Bit of a no-brainer.
What exactly can Tallis do
to him?
Let's just say that however
ruthlessly determined you are
to have your day in court,
you shouldn't hitch your star
too closely to Henry's wagon.
Am I being paranoid,
or does she totally hate me?
Oh, she hates you.
She hates everyone.
CLEO:
And hears everything.
Dan.
Dan.
You know I'm going to be
questioning you in court today.
I know.
When you eat rhubarb, it makes
your teeth feel strange,
like they're coated
with wool or fur.
But it's actually something
called oxalic acid
which reacts with the enamel
on your teeth,
so you shouldn't be worried.
Mia told me that.
Right.
Is there anything else
you can remember
about the night your mum died?
Dan?
Because the court needs to know
the truth, yeah?
I don't remember.
Mia said oxalic acid
is also present in spinach,
but I don't eat that.
You have to try to make
your mind remember.
Did you have rhubarb that night?
It's okay.
It's not the same as lying.
HENRY:
What isn't?
If someone has a huge nose,
you don't say,
"You've got a huge nose,"
because it might hurt
their feelings
and you shouldn't hurt
their feelings.
Mia's studying dentistry.
That's why she goes to college.
You mean leaving something out?
In fact, sometimes it's better
than telling the truth.
My mum told me that.
Dan, can you tell us
what you were doing
on the night
of the 14th of October?
I was mostly in my bedroom.
Mum called me downstairs at
10 past 8:00 to get my supper,
and I brought it upstairs
and ate it.
It was later than usual,
'cause she was cooking
for Auntie Chrissie.
HENRY: Did you see
your Auntie Chrissie?
Yeah.
Did you see her when she left
later on, around 10:00?
No.
HENRY: Why was that?
Why didn't you hear anything?
I had my ear defenders on.
Mum got them for me
when the kids started
letting off the things
that make the huge bangs.
I'm introducing exhibit 1A,
a pair of industrial
ear defenders.
Could you hear anything at all
with those on, Dan?
No.
If someone had let off
a 12-bore shotgun downstairs,
would you have heard it?
We don't have a gun
in the house.
I meant, would any kind of noise
from downstairs, however loud,
have reached you?
An argument, say?
No.
They're remarkably effective.
Worse than hat hair.
I'd have become a solicitor
if I'd realized.
First time I've seen you come
into court.
Yeah.
Gives me the creeps,
but I wanted to give Dan
a bit of support.
He seems to be holding up okay.
So far, anyway.
At least
I mean, thank God
he can't remember anything.
The bad stuff, I mean.
Well, let's hope not.
But he's said
You don't think he's lying?
To be honest, I think that Dan
thinks he's protecting someone,
and he knows that memory loss
is a convenient symptom.
I've never known him to lie
in my life.
It's hardly surprising, is it?
He's very attached
to his family.
And your mum's family.
I'll see you in there.
Wait.
HENRY: Having spent the night
in your room, Dan,
why did you then decide
to go downstairs?
It was 10:15.
That's when I have
my cup of tea.
It's the last cup of tea I have
until 8:15 in the morning.
And what did you see
when you came downstairs?
I saw the hall
and things in the hall.
Did you see any people
in the hall?
Yeah.
Who were they?
I saw Mum.
Was she alive?
Yeah.
Was she alone?
I can't remember.
I forget things.
Is that true, Dan,
or is it trying
not to hurt someone?
Was there someone else there?
I'll ask you again.
Was there someone else
in the house who you saw?
Yeah.
Was it your Auntie Chrissie?
Mr. Farmer,
I'm giving you some leeway
because of
your client's difficulties,
but there has to be a limit.
It wasn't Auntie Chrissie.
HENRY: So, who was in the hall
with your mum?
Dan?
Hmm?
No one's going to believe
you're not telling lies.
Mm.
It was Mia.
Shouting.
They were shouting
and they were
Why haven't you mentioned
seeing Mia before, Dan?
I don't want her
to go to prison.
I'm very sorry.
It's okay.
I don't want her
to go to prison.
Are you going to call
Mia Ottway?
We'll see what she says,
but it's looking like a godsend.
What did she say to you?
She seemed very freaked out
with the thought
that Dan could remember
what had happened at the house.
GILLESPIE:
Henry. Miss Marsh.
Mr. Justice Rean tells me you've
been letting fireworks off
in court.
I suppose we must be grateful
that they're
of the metaphorical kind.
Can I have a word?
Isn't it a bit late in life
to start playing
the embarrassing dad act?
Bigging me up to Lady Penelope?
What's that all about?
And then I find out
you've been bad-mouthing me
to that tosspot Tallis.
I most certainly did not.
I told him that you were not
his ideal junior,
which is true,
since the man is incapable
of accommodating anyone
who has the faintest
suspicion of a spine.
I did try to warn you.
I've been proved right.
The man is insufferable
and always has been.
Fair enough.
I don't need you to sort out
my love live.
I thought she might be unaware
of your many
estimable qualities.
HENRY:
She is.
The feeling's mutual.
And what was that chess stuff
all about?
It's not like you took
any interest at the time.
I most certainly did.
Point of information, Henry.
Your mother
She put a stop to our outings.
She put a stop
to a lot of things.
She thought it upset you.
And, perhaps unwisely,
I deferred to her wishes.
For which I'm somewhat to blame.
But please, please do me
the courtesy
of not treating me
like the villain
in the pantomime.
Mr. Ottway, are you now claiming
you saw your cousin murder
your mother?
I only saw Mum and Mia arguing.
I didn't like it.
I don't like it
when there's arguments.
And what was
this alleged argument about
between your cousin
and your mother?
I don't know.
Just, it's like a switch.
Like when you turn off the TV.
I can't remember.
Do you remember calling
the police from the house?
Yes.
Was Mia in the house then?
No.
PEEL:
Why did you call the police?
Why not an ambulance?
I could see
she wasn't breathing.
She was dead.
There was no point taking her
to the hospital.
And I knew
she must have been killed,
so a crime had been committed,
so I called the police.
Why was Dan protecting Mia?
Why didn't you go to the police
about her?
I've got nothing to say to you.
I know what my own daughter's
capable of.
How can you be sure of that?
Because she's normal
and he never will be.
Wow, you look marvelous,
even better than 15 years ago.
Thank you, Meredith.
Hungry?
Starving.
MILLIE:
What?
[Sighs]
No.
Yeah.
[Sighs]
Billy.
As long as it takes.
Yeah.
Billy.
Yeah, well, I don't know.
Yes, it is more important,
actually.
Look, I'll come round later,
okay?
If it's before midnight.
Yeah. Whatever.
Look, I've got to go.
All right? Yeah.
Bye.
Ugh!
Sorry.
It's not as though
he's Mr. Regular Hours.
[Sighs]
Other people's work,
it's like other people's
toothache.
It's difficult to sympathize.
What do you reckon?
Yeah, it's a door.
It's on a latch.
You shut it behind you
and it can't be opened
from the outside without a key.
What does he do?
Billy?
Hedge fund manager.
Very nice.
Piss off.
We met at university, okay?
Remind me again
Was that Oxford or Cambridge?
Ooh, so chippy
for a judge's son.
He wasn't around much
when I was growing up.
Affairs.
My dad was the same.
No, he didn't live with us.
MILLIE:
Oh, right.
With my dad, it was affairs.
And my mum.
People don't really do that
these days, do they?
It was a bit '70s
even in the '80s.
The copper's testimony, Kitson.
Dan was making himself
a cup of tea
when they found
his mum's body, remember?
He didn't open the door
for them.
Someone must have left it open.
Presumably Mia.
Presumably Mia leaving
in a tearing hurry.
Regrettably, Meredith,
you are the same self-centered,
unfeeling shit
you've always been.
You're being ridiculous.
I can only plead
the amnesia of desperation.
Nothing else explains
why I would agree
to have dinner with you.
Shame we didn't have the red.
Get me a dessert menu
and a wine list.
What are you looking at?
Go on then, Cinders.
You'll just about make it
for midnight.
CLEO:
Oh, God. [Sniffles]
What the hell
are you still doing here?
Are you okay?
Clearly not.
Oh, Henry.
It's all so humiliating.
I mean, being taken in
by the first man
who chucks a poxy
bunch of flowers at me.
Hey.
I knew what he was like.
I knew.
Well, they were
very nice flowers.
And you're only human, Cleo.
Aren't you?
[Laughs]
Mia Ottway.
Don't think
Tallis would have called her.
HENRY: Miss Ottway, how would
you describe your relationship
with your cousin Dan?
We've grown up together.
He's like my weird twin brother.
And your aunt, Bridget Ottway,
how did you get on with her?
Okay.
Um, I suppose I thought
she could be a bit of a martyr.
About Dan, I mean.
It was like Mum and everyone
treated her with kid gloves
as though
Dan's this unbearable
I don't know
Affliction or whatever.
Like Mum not telling her about
the thing with Uncle Graham.
HENRY:
You knew about the affair?
Yeah.
Since it started, practically.
HENRY: And did you think
of Bridget as an obstacle
in the way
of your mum's happiness?
Yes, I did.
But I didn't want to kill her,
if that's what
you're getting at.
Sorry. Health and safety problem
out on site.
The story of my life.
You've always got to pretend
things are normal, haven't you?
Chrissie, I was hoping
they might not have started.
How's she doing?
It's worse.
Seeing her up there's worse
than being up there myself.
You know, when Dan was born,
I was actually jealous
'cause he was a boy.
Ted used to go on about it,
remember?
A son and heir.
Pretend to be joking.
And Bridget seemed so sorted
and the house
always looked so nice
and I thought, "Oh, typical,
they've got the boy,
and we're stuck with the girl."
She was such a funny-looking
little thing, Mia.
Until she smiled.
And Dan didn't,
and everything changed,
didn't it?
I'm sorry.
Whatever happens,
Chrissie love,
we should be facing this
together.
No more pretending.
Hmm?
HENRY: Why did your mum ring you
to collect her
the night of the murder?
'Cause she was upset.
But it wasn't like you said
Her having a go.
She never would.
Bridget had spent
the whole evening going on
about how she was planning
a second honeymoon
with Uncle Graham.
I mean, she knew things hadn't
been great between them,
so she thought
she'd spring a surprise on him
once Dan moved out.
Repair their marriage.
And Mum didn't say boo.
I couldn't believe it
when she told me.
Miss Ottway, you are under oath,
and you know the importance
of your evidence.
What really happened next?
MIA:
I just went back to the house.
I'd left my scarf there.
And Bridget came to the door,
all
I don't know.
I'd come from Mum in the car,
all crying and gutted
about her and Graham,
and there was Auntie Bridget,
just so pent up and dry,
and I just told her.
Oh, don't be so ridiculous.
You must have suspected
something.
I don't even know
what you're talking about.
Having an affair?
HENRY:
You told her about the affair?
She went nuts.
I mean, you'd think she must
have suspected something,
but she just went apeshit.
She got hold of me.
She was shouting.
He doesn't love you anymore!
I pushed her off,
and I ran out of the house.
So, at some point,
you attacked her physically?
No, not attacked, just tried
to stop her hitting me.
HENRY:
I see.
You were engaged at the time of
your aunt's death, weren't you?
Yes.
HENRY: It's an engagement
you've subsequently terminated.
Were you wearing
your engagement ring that night?
Probably.
I wore it all the time
until we broke up.
So the imprints
on Bridget's arm,
the imprints that came
from a ring,
they could have come from you?
I just grabbed her
when she went for me, okay?
Just to stop her.
I didn't kill her, I swear.
I couldn't kill anyone.
Tell them!
Danny, you've got to tell them
what happened.
It's okay, Mia.
Don't worry, Mia.
It's okay.
Sit down.
Will you please sit down?
This is a court of law.
Dan.
Dan!
Hey!
Please don't touch him.
Sit down!
GRAHAM:
Dan!
No, he doesn't like
Can you not do something?
Mr. Ottway.
[Alarm blaring]
He doesn't like being touched.
It's okay. I'm sorry.
Tell him not to touch him.
Sorry.
Get off him!
Dan! Dan!
Dan!
Dan, what the hell happened
in there?
I was just trying to stop him.
You could see
I wasn't trying to hurt him.
Mum and Dad used it on me when
I was little if I got upset.
The wrap to stop me hurting
other people or myself.
But he was too strong.
You have to tell them,
Mr. Farmer.
I thought
it couldn't have been me,
because I wanted Mum alive.
But it was me.
I know now.
You have to tell them.
It was me.
HENRY: Bridget Ottway was the
center of her son's universe.
Perhaps under the influence
of the Rexorin she was taking
Secretly taking without
any medical supervision
She reacted with extreme
aggression and distress
to the news of a relationship
between her husband
and her sister-in-law.
Her niece, Mia,
fled the scene she'd incited,
leaving Dan with the terrifying
sights and sounds of his mother,
his lifelong
anchor of stability,
out of control, lashing out.
Just this once,
lashing out at him.
Far from retaliating
or using violence,
Dan responded by attempting
the same restraint
Bridget had employed on him as
a child when he was in distress.
With your permission, my lord.
This restraint,
known as the wrap,
is designed to comfort
and to calm,
not to kill.
Unfortunately, the combined
force of his mother's resistance
and Dan's panic
turned this attempt at comfort
into a fatal restraint.
It's okay.
It's all right.
HENRY: You may think
Daniel Ottway is a freak.
You may find him unlikable.
But you have the luxury
of piecing together
the mosaic of emotions
and responses
which caused his mother's death
in a way
which he's totally incapable of.
Unfortunately, his Asperger
Syndrome won't prevent him
from living
with the consequences
of his tragic misjudgment
for the rest of his life.
I just thought
as long as he couldn't remember
anything, it was fine.
But if I hadn't told Bridget
about you and Uncle Graham
I mean, it's Dan
who's gonna be put away,
but it's my fault, isn't it?
My fault, his fault,
Dan's fault,
even her fault.
Oh, I don't know anymore.
I don't get it, though.
Where's the point
in devoting your life
to someone who can't
give anything back?
Bridget got a lot back from Dan.
You know that.
I meant Graham.
What did you get from him, Mum?
Sex?
Someone to shag?
You won't be 22 forever.
[Squeaking]
Oh, sorry.
Sorry.
It's okay.
Henry, I presume.
I'm Billy.
Pleased to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
It's probably not big enough.
To dry yourself with.
Henry.
Commiserations are in order,
I believe.
Your murder case
didn't go your way.
And there I was basking
in a sense of qualified success.
Two years.
Could have been a lot worse.
Unlawful killing without intent.
Yeah, but even the client
thought they'd got it right.
Then I'm sorry.
Again.
No, actually,
I'm sorry, all right?
For that stuff the other day.
I had no idea
about Mum keeping you away.
I suppose she thought she was
doing the right thing by you.
That's the weird thing,
isn't it, about having a kid.
It's like Glen taking Zak
to Australia.
Easy to convince yourself
sometimes
that what you want for yourself
is what's best for them.
I wouldn't know.
I never really got the chance.
Still, old snow,
isn't that what they say?
Do they?
Meaning, I suppose,
it melted a long time ago.
You've got a visitor.
Mia came to see me
last Thursday.
She tried to bring me some pens,
but they wouldn't let me
have them.
She said.
Shame.
Because they think you might
use them to harm yourself
or other people.
Crayons aren't the same, really,
but in 529 days,
I'll be able to write
with anything I like.
That's the spirit.
I don't understand.
It really isn't that much time
if I'm going to reorganize
the library system.
They were using
the Dewey Decimal System,
but I've persuaded them
to convert
to the Logan-Schull system
of classification,
which is considerably more
Dan.
Do you ever miss your mum?
I know I won't see her again.
I think about her
in my mind, you know.
And she smelled remarkably nice.
Yeah. Yes.
Look, Dan, um
I
You know
Phone home.
35,000.
Terrible, terrible bet.
I don't understand this
in any way.
No, don't bother.
I find it really relaxing.
You don't need destroy
its mystery.
Coming to bed anytime soon?
Yeah, after this hand,
okay, sweetie?
Okay.
How come you two
aren't living together?
Oh, God, we'd drive each other
mad in five minutes flat.
But he's okay about you sharing,
you know, with a bloke?
Oh, totally, yeah.
He knows I'm not into older men.
See?
But he had a pair.
That's the whole point.
Oh.
That was a bluff by the way.
About the older men.
I should teach you
how to play poker.
You could be a natural.
Actually, chess is my game,
wonder boy.
I'd thrash you.
Bet you don't even know
the rules.
Acorn Media
Acorn Media
Biscuits.
You go and get your
favorite biscuits. Thank you.
Really need you
to help Mummy today, okay?
Put them in the trolley for me.
Thank you.
There you go.
Excuse me, do you know
where the tomato paste is?
Excuse me.
Are you deaf or something?
No.
Oh, sorry.
Um, tomato paste?
Do you know where it is?
Yes.
So, where is it?
They used to keep all
the tomato products together,
except for the fresh tomatoes,
obviously.
Well, thanks a lot
for your help.
Okay, sweetheart.
Although
it's not particularly obvious
unless it's impossible
to keep fresh foods
with canned or bottled foods.
Well, I'm sure there's
other customers needing you.
Oh.
You want me to go away.
Where do you live?
Just off the common.
You don't even work here?
What the hell do you think
you're doing?
I'll put these
in the back of your car.
What the hell do you think
you're doing?
Just stay away!
Sorry. Sorry.
Help! Help!
It's okay.
He's my son.
He's autistic.
He has Asperger's.
He doesn't like to be touched.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry he frightened you.
JESS:
I didn't mean to hurt you.
Come on, darling.
Keep the eggs on the top.
JESS: I'm sorry.
I didn't realize.
I thought I was helping.
I thought she was nice.
She was.
But maybe you'd given her
enough help, eh?
Come on, Danny Boy.
Back to the ranch.
Morning, Mr. Farmer.
Two messages for you, miss.
Mrs. Fry rang.
Ray, you haven't seen
those scene of crime photos
from the Ottway case, have you?
The boy with Asperger's?
He's accused
of killing his mother.
Sorry, sir.
The bloody woman's persecuting
me about my hours billed.
You were supposed
to soften her up.
I've tried, Miss Steyn,
but she's made of stern stuff.
Yes, well, I'm made of sterner.
I don't want to have to speak
to her again, okay?
Loud and clear.
Oh, sir, there's something
on your murder.
Mr. Tallis has been trying
to get hold of you.
Apparently,
your mobile's switched off.
Yeah.
That's what he thinks.
Meredith Tallis?
Morning.
- Morning.
- Morning, Millie.
HENRY: Yeah, he's the Q.C.
on my murder case.
Total charm bypass.
Do you know him?
We live in interesting times.
Here. You left these
in the living room.
They got mixed up
with my indecent exposure.
Oh, cheers.
You are a very lucky man,
Henry Farmer.
Paul, she's my landlady.
Get over it.
BRACEWELL:
Landlady.
Little chats in the kitchen,
pushing past each other
to get to the bathroom.
Sorry, thought the door
was locked.
Yeah, you ever thought
you might be giving this
a teeny bit too much thought?
Mr. Ottway, at some point,
you'll have to answer
our questions
unless you want to spend
the foreseeable future
in this hospital,
do you understand?
HENRY: You see, Dan,
for your case to go to trial,
everyone needs to be comfortable
that you understand
the evidence against you
and you'll be able to instruct
Mr. Tallis and me.
Otherwise, you're going to have
to go through
a different sort of trial
called a fitness
to plead hearing.
So maybe you could tell us
your understanding
of why we're here today.
Green.
Green.
The walls?
It's like a noise in my eyes.
Shouting.
Green stops me thinking.
Better?
Much.
Quieter.
Thank you, Mr. Farmer.
Don't mention it.
Now, let's run over
a few things.
The night your mum died
I don't remember anything.
Anything at all?
What about earlier
in the evening?
Your aunt had dinner with you.
Do you remember that?
Radius V20.
It has a microplaned tip.
They use lasers to grind them,
so it's always smooth,
so you don't get, like,
blobs of ink.
Which is good, because it means
your writing's very legible.
The Crown is bound to point out
the remarkable convenience
of Mr. Ottway's memory lapse,
given the weight of the forensic
evidence against him.
The shrinks in here all seem
convinced it's genuine.
Whatever the case, I'd say unfit
to plead won't play.
HENRY:
Yeah, I.Q.'s above average.
He's certainly mentally
competent to stand trial.
Of course, getting him to talk
is another matter.
So it would seem.
Although, how much of that
is due to Asperger Syndrome
and how much is trauma
over his mother's death?
Bugger.
I should tell you, Farmer,
that I have a case coming up
in the Court of Appeal
which requires much of my time
and attention.
So I want you to bone up
on the shrink reports.
Keep me
absolutely up to speed, clear?
Clear.
I've been asking around
about you, Farmer,
and it seems you need to be kept
on a short leash.
Woof, woof.
Ray, we need to talk through
the implementation
of the new fee structure.
I'm back from court
sometime after 7:00.
Would you mind bearing with me
for a sec?
Sorry, Mrs. Steyn, no can do.
No such word as "can't," Ray.
I have a prior engagement,
I'm afraid.
Well, rearrange.
If I'm prepared to stay late
for the good of chambers
Well, with respect, miss,
you don't have a family
to think of anymore.
Well, she doesn't.
Sorry about that.
Mr. Ottway.
Mr. Tallis is in court today,
I'm afraid.
Sends his apologies.
Did he say anything Dan
When you saw him
at the hospital?
A little.
Please.
Enough for us to think
there's no point contesting
his fitness to plead.
A trial, though.
He's not up to that, surely.
Depending on
the psychiatric reports,
there's a strong chance
we can get your son's charge
downgraded to manslaughter
on the day.
That's as long as he decides
to plead guilty, obviously.
They'd still put him in prison,
though.
The tariff for manslaughter
is considerably less
than that for murder.
Well,
I suppose anything's better
than leaving him to rot
in that place.
He's not eating, not sleeping.
Mind you, neither am I.
It's just
I know he did it.
I'm not that stupid, but
His mum Dan was everything
to Bridget, you know?
She used to do everything
for him.
See everyone
And Dan, was he devoted to her?
In his way.
He doesn't show affection.
Part of his condition.
Put it this way, he's 22,
and Bridget and I hadn't spent
so much as a night in a hotel
without him.
The grouse is in season
and always very good here.
For God's sake, where am
I supposed to take you?
Some minimalist sushi hell?
McDonald's?
After the zoo?
You don't remember, do you?
Of course I do.
It was pizza.
The car stank of vomit
for months.
Well, it was just the once.
I'll have the grouse.
Do you know Meredith Tallis,
Dad?
And for me.
Don't bother about the celeriac.
Very well.
Well, I think you'll find
with Meredith,
it's very much
"follow my leader."
How's your new accommodation?
Yeah, it's fine.
It's perfectly comfortable.
Is she pretty, this colleague
of yours you're sharing with?
If it had been a chap,
you'd have told me his name.
Millie Marsh.
Very pretty,
totally unattractive.
[Chuckles]
Really.
Um, uh Lafite.
I'm serious.
I know you're a hopeless
old romantic,
but there's really nothing
going on.
This case that I'm a junior on,
the boy, the defendant he's
supposed to have killed his mum.
His dad was telling me
that they've never spent
a night apart.
Made me think of all the nights
I've been away from Zak.
Not worth counting by now.
Well, children can be
surprisingly resilient,
on the whole.
It helps to remember that.
Will you be able to visit me
in prison?
Of course I will.
Don't get rid of me that easily.
[Chuckles]
Is that a joke?
Not much of one.
It's called remand, right?
Until your case comes to court,
prison instead of hospital
because they've decided
there's nothing wrong with you.
But I still don't remember.
Well, you've just got to
tell them what you can.
Will you be a witness?
No, they won't be calling me.
I wasn't there, was I?
If I had been
[Sighs]
Point is, Dan, you plead guilty
to manslaughter, yeah?
Doesn't matter
what you remember.
Please don't.
Sorry. A bit late.
I can't plead guilty,
Mr. Farmer.
Okay.
There's a lot of evidence
that we need to try
to understand
before it gets discussed
in court.
Forensic evidence, Dan, which
links you to your mum's death.
If you plead guilty,
we don't have to worry about it.
How can I plead guilty
if I'm not guilty?
Why would I want to kill Mum?
Look, I know you loved her
very much.
What happens in court
won't change that.
I don't tell lies.
Tell him, Dad.
I never tell lies.
I didn't kill her, Mr. Farmer.
I'm not guilty.
Oh, for pity's sake.
I don't think
he's going to budge.
He says not guilty,
and if he's fit to plead,
he's fit to decide his own plea.
I'll speak
to the Ottways' solicitor
about reassigning the brief
to a junior in my chambers.
This is far from ideal with me
tied up in the appeals court.
I'd assumed this would be
tidied away quickly.
I can handle it, Meredith.
Dan trusts me.
You could learn to do the same.
Meredith.
Cleo.
How delightful.
So sorry to hear about
your marital troubles.
Must be a terrible blow,
the prospect of desertion
at your age.
Although, it's certainly
not uncommon.
No, it's not.
Sir.
Yes, all right.
Do forgive me.
Lovely surprise.
Bye.
That silver tongue of his.
[Doorbell rings]
Hi. Come in.
Laundry service.
Thanks.
Why have you got your coat on?
It's like an oven in here.
Yeah. Just came in.
Dan's still not eating.
You know what he's like.
Oh, God.
MIA:
Mum, don't start.
She's totally stressing out
about being a witness, you know.
I've tried telling her.
I mean, it's not like she's
doing the actual prosecution.
You shouldn't have to worry,
Chrissie love.
Do you want a coffee?
Well, actually,
it'll have to be tea.
Well, I've got to get on.
I'm meeting someone
from college, so
Right.
You're a star.
Haven't got an ironed shirt
left.
These for me to take away?
No.
I finally had a clear-out.
Bridget's stuff.
Reminds me.
I found this.
Doesn't look like Bridget's.
I thought one of you
might have left it.
Cheers, Uncle Graham.
Been missing that.
Listen, tell Dan
as soon as I get a day off,
I'll go in to see him.
Yeah.
You in tonight?
I thought I'd cook.
You can cook?
Well, it's a loose term.
Takeaway of your choice.
Can you afford it?
I saw that bankruptcy bloke
of yours
lurking around chambers
the other day.
Tebbott.
Oh, don't worry about him.
He's got one of those faces.
What's your poison, then?
Curry, pizza, Thai?
Surprise me.
As long as it's spicy.
I don't like bland.
You're on.
We're out of tea bags,
by the way.
Was it Dan's decision to move
out of the family house,
Dr. Lawrenson?
Your initial report said
he was very attached to his mum.
He was,
but he was certainly up
for a bit more independence.
When the place came up
at the halfway house,
he leapt at the chance.
Oh, once we'd repainted
his room.
Not fond of green.
So I've learned.
Where was his dad in all this?
He paid for the decorators.
It can be difficult
for some parents
to get behind a condition
like Asperger Syndrome.
You don't always get
an awful lot back.
It can seem like there aren't
any feelings there.
But there are?
Unfortunately, Asperger patients
are bright enough to know
just how different they are.
Like with Dan,
you know this trouble he'd had
with some of the local kids.
It's in the brief, yeah.
Kiera Allen.
He was really rattled by it.
I had to prescribe
an antidepressant for him.
So would you say
Dan was depressed
at the time
his mother was killed?
He was taking Rexorin for
symptoms of depression, yeah.
But, look, whatever
it looks like, Mr. Farmer,
Dan feels plenty.
Oh, Henry, I'm so sorry.
I completely forgot.
But Billy's taking me out
for dinner tonight.
I see.
I thought you looked a bit
Well, I can't guarantee
there'll be any leftovers.
God, I love those.
It's a bit extravagant,
isn't it?
Nah, practically
loaves and fishes.
Lucky Lotto finally lived up
to its name.
I thought you were supposed
to have given up gambling.
No, I'm supposed to have
given up losing money gambling.
Believe me,
three quid on scratch cards,
that's practically methadone.
[Buzzer]
I'll be right down.
- Millie and Billy?
- Don't go there.
If we end up getting married,
I'm fighting for Emily
and William on the invites.
See ya.
HENRY: It would be a fortnight,
I think.
BEN:
I really can't.
It won't be as bad as
Whose immortal soul
has she been feasting on?
Secret admirer.
Look, I'm sorry, Henry.
I'm chocka at the moment.
Ask Ray.
Greatly in demand at the moment,
Mr. Halliwell.
Bracewell's already turned me
down for an aggravated assault.
How hard can it be
to get a junior these days?
It's nice to be first
on your list, anyway.
Why don't you ask Millie?
She did her MPhil dissertation
on autism.
I'm not the only one who read
her C.V. when she joined, am I?
Autism.
You know all about it,
apparently.
I thought you knew.
And I know you prefer working
with Ben,
and you think I'm flaky
and a bit spoiled.
I don't think you're flaky.
CLEO:
Meredith.
Wait.
What a delightfully extravagant
gesture.
The only flowers I've received
in the last few years
have inevitably been accompanied
by an apology.
Your husband is clearly
a very misguided man.
Well
What is it
The price of everything
and the value of nothing?
No wonder you look so drawn.
I daresay it's the light.
Much softer in Le Caprice.
I'll talk to my secretary.
What?
Bastards.
These finagling little
MILLIE:
What?
Bastards.
Morning, Henry.
I've been here
quite a long time.
Aren't they going to start?
Bit of a hitch, Dan.
The prosecution
want to admit a new witness.
Kiera Allen.
They're saying
that you attacked her,
and the pattern of bruising
was like the bruising
found on your mum's body.
MILLIE:
It's called similar fact.
They'll claim
that it wasn't a coincidence
that two different people caused
such similar injuries.
Don't worry.
The judge will never allow it.
[Moans]
I didn't hit her.
It wasn't fair.
Mum said it wasn't fair.
She was the one
who called the police.
MILLIE: But you got a police
caution for attacking Kiera.
You can ask them.
Mum always had to call
the police
'cause of that girl, Kiera,
and her friends.
[Moans]
Sounds like
we should check it out.
Members of the jury,
Daniel Joshua Ottway,
suffers from the pervasive
developmental disorder
known as Asperger Syndrome.
In layman's terms,
he suffers from difficulties
understanding the emotions
and reactions of others.
If you like, he lacks empathy.
It may be that his mother,
Bridget Ottway,
angered or thwarted him
in some trivial way,
causing the self-centered
aspect of his personality
to come to the fore.
Whatever the case,
Daniel Ottway responded with
terrible and fatal violence,
using such force
that despite his condition,
he cannot have been ignorant
of the outcome,
which was her death.
In other words,
he intended to kill her.
Mrs. Ottway, was it usual,
when you had supper with your
sister-in-law, Bridget Ottway,
for your nephew to dine
separately?
Oh, yes, quite usual.
Sometimes Dan would eat with us,
but not often.
Bridget preferred it if he did.
Would she have preferred it
if he had that night?
I'll put it another way.
Was there any argument
between Bridget and Dan
about him not having supper
with you?
Not an argument.
A bit of back and forth.
You know, Bridget saying, "It'd
be nice if you wanted to eat
with your Auntie Chrissie
and me,"
that's all.
PEEL:
And what did Dan say to that?
CHRISSIE:
Just that he didn't want to
and he wanted it
on a tray upstairs.
Dan disagreed with his mum?
Disagreed, yes,
but just the usual.
So, this sort of disagreement
was something you'd seen before?
Yes, but
Thank you, Mrs. Ottway.
HENRY: Okay, I don't think we
can rely on the sympathy vote.
Dan's psychiatrist.
You know you mentioned she was
treating him for depression?
Yeah, he was on medication.
What kind of medication?
Rexorin.
MILLIE:
See?
I thought Rexorin rang a bell.
SSRIs, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah,
dosage, disclaimer.
Aha.
Side effects.
HENRY: I take back
everything I said about you.
[Dialing]
You been in the wars?
I've never fought in a war.
Oh.
Someone pushed me.
I didn't see who.
People are very ignorant
about Asperger Syndrome.
The best thing to do
is to try to blend in.
Look people in the eye,
but not too much,
don't go on about your
special interests and be boring,
try and show an interest
in the other person.
Your mum tell you that?
Yeah.
It's remarkably difficult,
actually,
because I'm not
particularly interested.
I know what you mean.
Do you?
Yeah.
I like to gamble.
To put it mildly.
Sometimes everything else
can seem like background noise.
You have to tune in,
like tuning in a radio.
Not a digital one.
HENRY:
Exactly.
Dan, we need to ask you about
some pills you were taking
around the time your mum died.
I wasn't taking any pills.
Rexorin?
No, they made me feel bad.
A lot of medicine doesn't work
the way it should
when I take it.
But you were taking them?
No. I told you.
I don't tell lies.
I stopped taking them
after a week.
Dr. Lawrenson said
she renewed the prescription
a few days before your mum died.
Maybe you didn't want your mum
to know
you'd stopped taking them.
She knew I had.
She agreed it was best for me
to stop.
She was the one
who was taking them.
Why do you think
Bridget was depressed?
You've met Dan.
She didn't say
she was depressed,
but she wouldn't.
Bridget was great
at getting help for Dan,
not so good
at getting help for herself.
She could seem like someone
who didn't need anything.
Or anyone.
So, yeah, yeah,
getting those tablets like that,
it makes sense.
It was okay.
She could say they were Dan's.
She made this for him
to help him recognize
what people were feeling.
She would have liked more kids.
Mr. Ottway, a small minority
of people can react to Rexorin
by becoming suicidal
or aggressive.
Now you think Bridget
suffocated herself, do you?
No, but the drugs could have
made her more aggressive.
No, look, I've told you.
However stressed out she was,
she would never take it out
on Dan.
But she might on someone else?
Yeah, well,
I had it in the neck sometimes,
if that's what you mean.
She was only human.
Look, I suppose my wife was on
a short fuse before she died.
Yeah.
That's what I do.
I throw myself into work,
as they say.
HENRY: Yeah. I can see.
You've done well.
It must have been hard
to be at home sometimes.
I was having an affair.
Miss Marsh, I believe
you're to be thanked
for keeping my son
off the streets.
MILLIE:
Oh. Henry.
Yes. Of course, you're
I mean, how do you do,
Your Honor?
- For your sins.
- MILLIE: Not at all.
He's perfectly adequate
as a flatmate.
I mean, delightful, obviously.
- Delightful.
- MILLIE: Great fun.
And the rent helps.
I see.
Strictly business, then.
As opposed to
Oh, yes.
Why, what's Henry said?
Thursday it is.
Dispose of that for me,
will you? Thank you.
MAUREEN: He's only taking her
out for dinner.
She's separated,
not about to take Holy Orders.
You would have thought
she'd have learned her lesson
as far as my learned friend's
concerned.
You know that her and Tallis
were an item years back.
That's nice.
Friends reunited sort of thing.
Dog returning to its vomit
more like.
Mrs. Ottway,
did your sister-in-law seem
her usual self
during your meal together
the night she died?
Yes, she did.
She didn't seem depressed?
No, I wouldn't say so.
Bit tired, maybe.
A bit tired.
Was Bridget Ottway aware
that you were having an affair
with her husband?
No.
That was the nature of your
relationship with Graham Ottway,
wasn't it?
You'll have to speak up.
We didn't mean it to
After Ted died, my husband,
we just got closer.
And then
We weren't proud of ourselves.
You kept your affair secret
from your sister-in-law?
Is that a yes, Mrs. Ottway?
Yes.
She had had such a hard time
of it, with Dan, I mean.
Neither of us
I know it sounds stupid,
but neither of us
wanted to hurt her.
HENRY: And yet
when your nephew announced
he was moving out
to sheltered accommodation,
you thought that Graham
would finally be free
to tell his wife
that he wanted a separation,
isn't that right?
Yes.
HENRY:
And did he tell her?
No.
HENRY: So, on the evening
of Bridget Ottway's death,
after a few glasses of wine,
isn't it true that you decided
to take matters
into your own hands
and tell her yourself?
No.
Oh, no.
HENRY: It would be a terrible
breach of trust, wouldn't it,
for Bridget to hear that her
sister-in-law and her husband
had been conducting
a relationship
for three years?
She reacted with more aggression
than you'd anticipated.
She'd been taking Rexorin,
to which some people react with
abnormally aggressive behavior.
You argued.
Perhaps if you asked questions
rather than made speeches,
Mr. Farmer,
and one question at a time
would help.
Mrs. Ottway,
can you tell the court
your reason for calling
your daughter
to come and collect you
from Bridget Ottway's house
the night she was killed?
I'd had a few drinks.
You'd had a few drinks,
as you say.
We all know what that's like.
Why didn't you call a taxi?
Mia often gives me a lift.
She didn't mind.
Even though she was 10 miles
away on the other side of town?
Was that usual for her
to come and collect you
after one of your cozy evenings
with Bridget?
Not usual, no, but
In fact, it took quite
exceptional circumstances
for her to come and rescue you,
didn't it?
I didn't
I just wanted her to come.
GRAHAM: This has got
nothing to do with anything.
Mr. Ottway, that jury made up
their minds about Dan
the moment they set eyes on him.
Now, I know Chrissie is upset,
but if we can raise one fraction
of a doubt in their minds
I've got Mum in tears outside.
We've got the beginning
of a chance with them.
What the hell
have you told them?
Let's all just calm down,
shall we?
Bit of breathing space, yeah?
MIA:
He's so weak.
You know, I used to think,
"great big Uncle Graham,"
you know,
even when Dad was alive,
'cause he was Dad's big brother
and he owned the business
and he always had
the shiny new car.
He could have left Bridget,
though,
if they were that unhappy,
I mean.
It suited him
to keep Mum on a string
and still look like
Mr. Great Guy,
great husband and that.
It makes me sick.
Relationships.
They seem to get more
complicated as people get older.
Less straightforward, anyway.
Dan's going to go to prison,
isn't he?
We're doing what we can.
[Knock on door]
ZAK: Come on.
Get your cards sorted, Dad.
Sorry.
I just got that stuff in
about Kiera Allen.
Background to Dan's caution.
Oh, great.
Thanks.
Upping your dose?
Methadone.
More like rehab.
I'm passing on my skills
to the younger generation.
Teaching Zak how to play poker.
Read 'em and weep.
Don't think I'm gonna be the one
doing the crying.
Dad.
It's like the pupil's
exceeding the master.
You're slaughtering me here.
Yeah, I know.
I met your dad today
outside court.
He introduced himself.
Oh, God.
Whatever he said, I'm sorry.
No, he was charming.
Seems very keen to see you
settled down, as he put it.
What can I say?
He's a judge.
All the awareness workshops
in the world
are not going to get him
to look at you
and think
"highly trained advocate."
Bet he checked out your legs.
Fairly obviously.
ZAK:
Dad. Stop talking.
You've been hiding your light
under a bushel.
County chess champion,
your dad said.
Middlesex under twelves.
And I was so impressed as well.
Are you in or what?
Yeah, yeah.
I'm in.
Just psyching you out.
- Green.
- Mia.
Let's have a look.
They said I couldn't have long.
Hey.
They treating you okay?
Sorry I haven't been in earlier.
I had a nightmare at college,
and with Pabs and I
breaking up
Breaking up what?
MIA:
Didn't your dad tell you?
The engagement, Danny Boy.
Mum's chuffed to bits,
of course,
since she kept going on
about us being too young.
So, is he not your boyfriend
anymore?
MIA: No.
To be honest, Dan,
I saw a different side of him
when your mum died.
I mean, he was completely crap.
I liked Pabs.
He was friendly.
You marry him, then.
I'd have to be gay.
And so would he.
[Laughs]
Mm.
PEEL: Detective Sergeant Kitson,
when you arrived at the scene
and found Bridget Ottway's body
in the hallway,
where was the defendant,
Daniel Ottway?
He was making himself
a cup of tea.
Yeah, my 10:15 cup of tea.
Only my 10:15 cup of tea.
He was keen to finish it
before we took him
to the police station.
Yeah, my 10:15 cup of tea.
Needed to finish
my 10:15 cup of tea.
Yeah, 10:15. Yeah.
A little bird
at the Court of Appeal tells me
this is your last shout, Henry.
Then I'll be sure to make it
count, Damian.
Pissing in the wind,
let's face it.
Boy killed his mother.
We all know if you'd let us
admit the similar-fact evidence
about his attack on Kiera Allen,
we could have had this
tidied away on day one.
Defendants, eh?
It's as though
they positively conspire
to prevent you getting in
a good round of golf.
A tired stereotype, Farmer.
If you'd bothered to consult
"Who's Who,"
you'd know my passion
is fell walking.
And according to my mate Liz
in his chambers,
highly specialist
Internet sites.
HENRY: DS Kitson,
had you already decided
that Dan Ottway
had killed his mother
when you took forensic evidence
from him that night?
No.
No, we followed procedure.
Really?
Does that procedure include
a directive
to not take forensic evidence
from any other parties
at the scene?
Such as Chrissie Ottway?
KITSON:
No, it does not.
Well, did you take any forensic
evidence from Mrs. Ottway?
KITSON:
No, we didn't.
HENRY:
Thank you.
Result.
GRAHAM: You've got to stop
making out
Chrissie's a murderer.
Dan killed his mum,
simple as that.
I've tried telling myself
otherwise, but he did.
He's very sure that he didn't.
Oh, he's very sure
when his baked beans
fall off his bloody toast,
something terrible's
gonna happen to him.
He's very sure
that when he goes through
three green lights in a row,
it's a disaster.
So it's easy to believe
that he might have killed
the one person in his life
that he couldn't bear to be
without for more than two hours?
The forensic evidence
is partial.
There were fibers found
on your wife's clothes
that didn't come from Dan
and they didn't come
from the carpet in the hall.
Chrissie had a motive.
Her behavior was strange.
Something happened between
her and Bridget that night.
No. No.
I know her.
I just know her.
And you know Dan.
Nobody knows him.
Not really, not even Bridget.
We used to call him E.T.
when he was little.
Did I tell you that?
Because it was like he was
visiting from another planet.
Like that made us feel better.
I'm sorry.
PEEL: Dr. Raeburn, your report
states that Bridget Ottway died
as a result of an obstruction
to her breathing.
Is it your professional opinion
that she was strangled?
I can't give
a definitive answer.
Typically, strangulation
produces a distinctive pattern
of bruising around the neck,
either from pressure of hands
placed around the neck
or tightening of a ligature.
According to your report,
there was bruising on the neck.
Yes, but that appeared to be
a continuation
of the bruising on her chest.
PEEL: Do you have any idea
what caused this bruising?
It was consistent with someone
applying great force
to her neck and torso,
possibly from kneeling
or sitting on it,
possibly from squeezing with
the arms rather than the hands.
The force on her neck
would have been enough
to stop her breathing.
[Fire alarm ringing]
There were also pressure bruises
to her upper arms
which showed quite distinct
hand imprints.
Do these suggest anything
to you?
REAN: I'm sorry, Mr. Peel.
We'll adjourn.
I'm sure this is just a drill,
everybody.
We'll adjourn.
Clear the court.
GRAHAM: Please don't touch him.
He doesn't like being touched.
Oh, God.
So much for progress.
Dan, it's okay.
Dan.
Damian.
Henry, what are you doing?
We've got to try and find a way
to get the jury to look at Dan
like a human being.
Damian, similar fact.
What about it?
Kiera Allen.
If you want her,
you can have her.
Be my guest.
What do you think?
They're both lovely,
but that one.
Touch of mutton?
No, no.
Just chic.
Oh, thanks, Mo.
I knew I could trust you
to be objective.
And discreet.
Mo.
What's she, uh
Women's things, Ray.
Oh.
Dr. Raeburn, the Crown
has been at pains
to refer to Bridget Ottway's
assailant as male.
Is there, in fact, any evidence
to indicate the sex
of the attacker?
- No.
- HENRY: None?
The handprints visible
on Bridget Ottway's upper arms?
Is it possible to tell if they
belong to a man or a woman?
No.
The size rules out anyone taller
than about 180 centimeters
or smaller than around 140,
so they don't come from a child.
But that's all you can conclude?
That they come
from an adult of medium size?
Yes.
HENRY:
You note in your report
that part of the pattern
of bruising on the arm
was this small,
more deeply imprinted area.
How do you explain this?
It came from a ring.
You can see two clear imprints.
If the assailant was kneeling,
as you say,
the ring was worn
on her left hand?
His or her left hand,
where a wedding ring would be?
RAEBURN:
Yes.
HENRY:
Thank you.
Who's that?
- Kiera Allen.
- Shit.
I'm sure it seemed like
a good idea at the time.
I'd rather be talked to.
Graham.
Don't know.
I don't know what to think.
You don't think that I
What I said in there about
wanting you to leave Bridget
I was waiting for you
to talk to her. You know that.
You know me.
I thought I knew Dan.
Yeah, well, you've not been
the best dad to him.
I understand.
If it was Mia,
I'd do whatever it takes, but
It's not right, Graham.
Well, it hasn't been right
from the start, has it?
Dan doesn't wear a ring.
HENRY: Miss Allen, you say you
were outside Dan Ottway's house
mucking about with your mates
when he attacked you,
is that right?
Yeah.
HENRY: This mucking about
included putting dog mess
through the letterbox,
didn't it?
No.
HENRY: When she was questioned
by the police
about the alleged attack,
Bridget Ottway said
that you had.
That was a different time.
It wasn't me anyway.
You'd followed Dan Ottway home
that day, hadn't you?
My lord, this hardly pertains
to similar fact.
I'm seeking to put the alleged
attack into context, my lord.
Were you and your mates
setting off bangers
just before Dan
supposedly attacked you?
We weren't hurting no one.
They just made a noise.
Yes.
Do you know what a pedophile is,
Miss Allen?
Is he allowed to ask me that?
Yes.
It's someone who does stuff
to children.
Why did you and your mates
call Dan Ottway a pedophile?
I don't know.
HENRY:
You think this is funny, do you?
No.
Had he ever approached you?
Approached?
- Spoken to you inappropriately?
- No.
- HENRY: Followed you?
- KIERA: No.
- HENRY: Touched you?
- KIERA: No.
So why did call him a pedophile?
I don't know.
'Cause he looks like one.
Thank you.
What do you think you're doing?
You're not leading in this case.
I think you'll find
that in your absence, I am.
In my absence, I expect you
to conduct this case
as I would conduct it myself.
You saw that jury.
For the first time,
they were starting,
just starting,
to see Dan as a victim
instead of a freak who wouldn't
think twice about killing.
That's a small price to pay
for admitting the similar fact
on Kiera's injuries.
I disagree.
You really don't care, do you,
as long as everything's done
your way,
excluding any possibility
of improvisation
or rolling with the punches.
I don't care to continue this.
Clearly, I should have heeded
your father's advice about you.
I shall be advising the client
that it is absolutely vital
to the success of this case
that he withdraw.
Heeded?
Who says "heeded"?
[Door slams]
Hey.
I don't want him to be
my barrister.
His eyes never look at me.
He doesn't like me.
He thinks I killed Mum.
Mr. Ottway
Dan
Every defense barrister
has to consider
the possible guilt of his client
if he's going to protect him
properly.
That way, the prosecution can't
spring any nasty surprises.
I can see your point,
but I prefer Mr. Farmer.
I think you're a wanker.
The client wanted Tallis to go
and me to stay.
So, what could I do?
Avoided making an enemy of an
eminent Q.C. in the first place?
Bit of a no-brainer.
What exactly can Tallis do
to him?
Let's just say that however
ruthlessly determined you are
to have your day in court,
you shouldn't hitch your star
too closely to Henry's wagon.
Am I being paranoid,
or does she totally hate me?
Oh, she hates you.
She hates everyone.
CLEO:
And hears everything.
Dan.
Dan.
You know I'm going to be
questioning you in court today.
I know.
When you eat rhubarb, it makes
your teeth feel strange,
like they're coated
with wool or fur.
But it's actually something
called oxalic acid
which reacts with the enamel
on your teeth,
so you shouldn't be worried.
Mia told me that.
Right.
Is there anything else
you can remember
about the night your mum died?
Dan?
Because the court needs to know
the truth, yeah?
I don't remember.
Mia said oxalic acid
is also present in spinach,
but I don't eat that.
You have to try to make
your mind remember.
Did you have rhubarb that night?
It's okay.
It's not the same as lying.
HENRY:
What isn't?
If someone has a huge nose,
you don't say,
"You've got a huge nose,"
because it might hurt
their feelings
and you shouldn't hurt
their feelings.
Mia's studying dentistry.
That's why she goes to college.
You mean leaving something out?
In fact, sometimes it's better
than telling the truth.
My mum told me that.
Dan, can you tell us
what you were doing
on the night
of the 14th of October?
I was mostly in my bedroom.
Mum called me downstairs at
10 past 8:00 to get my supper,
and I brought it upstairs
and ate it.
It was later than usual,
'cause she was cooking
for Auntie Chrissie.
HENRY: Did you see
your Auntie Chrissie?
Yeah.
Did you see her when she left
later on, around 10:00?
No.
HENRY: Why was that?
Why didn't you hear anything?
I had my ear defenders on.
Mum got them for me
when the kids started
letting off the things
that make the huge bangs.
I'm introducing exhibit 1A,
a pair of industrial
ear defenders.
Could you hear anything at all
with those on, Dan?
No.
If someone had let off
a 12-bore shotgun downstairs,
would you have heard it?
We don't have a gun
in the house.
I meant, would any kind of noise
from downstairs, however loud,
have reached you?
An argument, say?
No.
They're remarkably effective.
Worse than hat hair.
I'd have become a solicitor
if I'd realized.
First time I've seen you come
into court.
Yeah.
Gives me the creeps,
but I wanted to give Dan
a bit of support.
He seems to be holding up okay.
So far, anyway.
At least
I mean, thank God
he can't remember anything.
The bad stuff, I mean.
Well, let's hope not.
But he's said
You don't think he's lying?
To be honest, I think that Dan
thinks he's protecting someone,
and he knows that memory loss
is a convenient symptom.
I've never known him to lie
in my life.
It's hardly surprising, is it?
He's very attached
to his family.
And your mum's family.
I'll see you in there.
Wait.
HENRY: Having spent the night
in your room, Dan,
why did you then decide
to go downstairs?
It was 10:15.
That's when I have
my cup of tea.
It's the last cup of tea I have
until 8:15 in the morning.
And what did you see
when you came downstairs?
I saw the hall
and things in the hall.
Did you see any people
in the hall?
Yeah.
Who were they?
I saw Mum.
Was she alive?
Yeah.
Was she alone?
I can't remember.
I forget things.
Is that true, Dan,
or is it trying
not to hurt someone?
Was there someone else there?
I'll ask you again.
Was there someone else
in the house who you saw?
Yeah.
Was it your Auntie Chrissie?
Mr. Farmer,
I'm giving you some leeway
because of
your client's difficulties,
but there has to be a limit.
It wasn't Auntie Chrissie.
HENRY: So, who was in the hall
with your mum?
Dan?
Hmm?
No one's going to believe
you're not telling lies.
Mm.
It was Mia.
Shouting.
They were shouting
and they were
Why haven't you mentioned
seeing Mia before, Dan?
I don't want her
to go to prison.
I'm very sorry.
It's okay.
I don't want her
to go to prison.
Are you going to call
Mia Ottway?
We'll see what she says,
but it's looking like a godsend.
What did she say to you?
She seemed very freaked out
with the thought
that Dan could remember
what had happened at the house.
GILLESPIE:
Henry. Miss Marsh.
Mr. Justice Rean tells me you've
been letting fireworks off
in court.
I suppose we must be grateful
that they're
of the metaphorical kind.
Can I have a word?
Isn't it a bit late in life
to start playing
the embarrassing dad act?
Bigging me up to Lady Penelope?
What's that all about?
And then I find out
you've been bad-mouthing me
to that tosspot Tallis.
I most certainly did not.
I told him that you were not
his ideal junior,
which is true,
since the man is incapable
of accommodating anyone
who has the faintest
suspicion of a spine.
I did try to warn you.
I've been proved right.
The man is insufferable
and always has been.
Fair enough.
I don't need you to sort out
my love live.
I thought she might be unaware
of your many
estimable qualities.
HENRY:
She is.
The feeling's mutual.
And what was that chess stuff
all about?
It's not like you took
any interest at the time.
I most certainly did.
Point of information, Henry.
Your mother
She put a stop to our outings.
She put a stop
to a lot of things.
She thought it upset you.
And, perhaps unwisely,
I deferred to her wishes.
For which I'm somewhat to blame.
But please, please do me
the courtesy
of not treating me
like the villain
in the pantomime.
Mr. Ottway, are you now claiming
you saw your cousin murder
your mother?
I only saw Mum and Mia arguing.
I didn't like it.
I don't like it
when there's arguments.
And what was
this alleged argument about
between your cousin
and your mother?
I don't know.
Just, it's like a switch.
Like when you turn off the TV.
I can't remember.
Do you remember calling
the police from the house?
Yes.
Was Mia in the house then?
No.
PEEL:
Why did you call the police?
Why not an ambulance?
I could see
she wasn't breathing.
She was dead.
There was no point taking her
to the hospital.
And I knew
she must have been killed,
so a crime had been committed,
so I called the police.
Why was Dan protecting Mia?
Why didn't you go to the police
about her?
I've got nothing to say to you.
I know what my own daughter's
capable of.
How can you be sure of that?
Because she's normal
and he never will be.
Wow, you look marvelous,
even better than 15 years ago.
Thank you, Meredith.
Hungry?
Starving.
MILLIE:
What?
[Sighs]
No.
Yeah.
[Sighs]
Billy.
As long as it takes.
Yeah.
Billy.
Yeah, well, I don't know.
Yes, it is more important,
actually.
Look, I'll come round later,
okay?
If it's before midnight.
Yeah. Whatever.
Look, I've got to go.
All right? Yeah.
Bye.
Ugh!
Sorry.
It's not as though
he's Mr. Regular Hours.
[Sighs]
Other people's work,
it's like other people's
toothache.
It's difficult to sympathize.
What do you reckon?
Yeah, it's a door.
It's on a latch.
You shut it behind you
and it can't be opened
from the outside without a key.
What does he do?
Billy?
Hedge fund manager.
Very nice.
Piss off.
We met at university, okay?
Remind me again
Was that Oxford or Cambridge?
Ooh, so chippy
for a judge's son.
He wasn't around much
when I was growing up.
Affairs.
My dad was the same.
No, he didn't live with us.
MILLIE:
Oh, right.
With my dad, it was affairs.
And my mum.
People don't really do that
these days, do they?
It was a bit '70s
even in the '80s.
The copper's testimony, Kitson.
Dan was making himself
a cup of tea
when they found
his mum's body, remember?
He didn't open the door
for them.
Someone must have left it open.
Presumably Mia.
Presumably Mia leaving
in a tearing hurry.
Regrettably, Meredith,
you are the same self-centered,
unfeeling shit
you've always been.
You're being ridiculous.
I can only plead
the amnesia of desperation.
Nothing else explains
why I would agree
to have dinner with you.
Shame we didn't have the red.
Get me a dessert menu
and a wine list.
What are you looking at?
Go on then, Cinders.
You'll just about make it
for midnight.
CLEO:
Oh, God. [Sniffles]
What the hell
are you still doing here?
Are you okay?
Clearly not.
Oh, Henry.
It's all so humiliating.
I mean, being taken in
by the first man
who chucks a poxy
bunch of flowers at me.
Hey.
I knew what he was like.
I knew.
Well, they were
very nice flowers.
And you're only human, Cleo.
Aren't you?
[Laughs]
Mia Ottway.
Don't think
Tallis would have called her.
HENRY: Miss Ottway, how would
you describe your relationship
with your cousin Dan?
We've grown up together.
He's like my weird twin brother.
And your aunt, Bridget Ottway,
how did you get on with her?
Okay.
Um, I suppose I thought
she could be a bit of a martyr.
About Dan, I mean.
It was like Mum and everyone
treated her with kid gloves
as though
Dan's this unbearable
I don't know
Affliction or whatever.
Like Mum not telling her about
the thing with Uncle Graham.
HENRY:
You knew about the affair?
Yeah.
Since it started, practically.
HENRY: And did you think
of Bridget as an obstacle
in the way
of your mum's happiness?
Yes, I did.
But I didn't want to kill her,
if that's what
you're getting at.
Sorry. Health and safety problem
out on site.
The story of my life.
You've always got to pretend
things are normal, haven't you?
Chrissie, I was hoping
they might not have started.
How's she doing?
It's worse.
Seeing her up there's worse
than being up there myself.
You know, when Dan was born,
I was actually jealous
'cause he was a boy.
Ted used to go on about it,
remember?
A son and heir.
Pretend to be joking.
And Bridget seemed so sorted
and the house
always looked so nice
and I thought, "Oh, typical,
they've got the boy,
and we're stuck with the girl."
She was such a funny-looking
little thing, Mia.
Until she smiled.
And Dan didn't,
and everything changed,
didn't it?
I'm sorry.
Whatever happens,
Chrissie love,
we should be facing this
together.
No more pretending.
Hmm?
HENRY: Why did your mum ring you
to collect her
the night of the murder?
'Cause she was upset.
But it wasn't like you said
Her having a go.
She never would.
Bridget had spent
the whole evening going on
about how she was planning
a second honeymoon
with Uncle Graham.
I mean, she knew things hadn't
been great between them,
so she thought
she'd spring a surprise on him
once Dan moved out.
Repair their marriage.
And Mum didn't say boo.
I couldn't believe it
when she told me.
Miss Ottway, you are under oath,
and you know the importance
of your evidence.
What really happened next?
MIA:
I just went back to the house.
I'd left my scarf there.
And Bridget came to the door,
all
I don't know.
I'd come from Mum in the car,
all crying and gutted
about her and Graham,
and there was Auntie Bridget,
just so pent up and dry,
and I just told her.
Oh, don't be so ridiculous.
You must have suspected
something.
I don't even know
what you're talking about.
Having an affair?
HENRY:
You told her about the affair?
She went nuts.
I mean, you'd think she must
have suspected something,
but she just went apeshit.
She got hold of me.
She was shouting.
He doesn't love you anymore!
I pushed her off,
and I ran out of the house.
So, at some point,
you attacked her physically?
No, not attacked, just tried
to stop her hitting me.
HENRY:
I see.
You were engaged at the time of
your aunt's death, weren't you?
Yes.
HENRY: It's an engagement
you've subsequently terminated.
Were you wearing
your engagement ring that night?
Probably.
I wore it all the time
until we broke up.
So the imprints
on Bridget's arm,
the imprints that came
from a ring,
they could have come from you?
I just grabbed her
when she went for me, okay?
Just to stop her.
I didn't kill her, I swear.
I couldn't kill anyone.
Tell them!
Danny, you've got to tell them
what happened.
It's okay, Mia.
Don't worry, Mia.
It's okay.
Sit down.
Will you please sit down?
This is a court of law.
Dan.
Dan!
Hey!
Please don't touch him.
Sit down!
GRAHAM:
Dan!
No, he doesn't like
Can you not do something?
Mr. Ottway.
[Alarm blaring]
He doesn't like being touched.
It's okay. I'm sorry.
Tell him not to touch him.
Sorry.
Get off him!
Dan! Dan!
Dan!
Dan, what the hell happened
in there?
I was just trying to stop him.
You could see
I wasn't trying to hurt him.
Mum and Dad used it on me when
I was little if I got upset.
The wrap to stop me hurting
other people or myself.
But he was too strong.
You have to tell them,
Mr. Farmer.
I thought
it couldn't have been me,
because I wanted Mum alive.
But it was me.
I know now.
You have to tell them.
It was me.
HENRY: Bridget Ottway was the
center of her son's universe.
Perhaps under the influence
of the Rexorin she was taking
Secretly taking without
any medical supervision
She reacted with extreme
aggression and distress
to the news of a relationship
between her husband
and her sister-in-law.
Her niece, Mia,
fled the scene she'd incited,
leaving Dan with the terrifying
sights and sounds of his mother,
his lifelong
anchor of stability,
out of control, lashing out.
Just this once,
lashing out at him.
Far from retaliating
or using violence,
Dan responded by attempting
the same restraint
Bridget had employed on him as
a child when he was in distress.
With your permission, my lord.
This restraint,
known as the wrap,
is designed to comfort
and to calm,
not to kill.
Unfortunately, the combined
force of his mother's resistance
and Dan's panic
turned this attempt at comfort
into a fatal restraint.
It's okay.
It's all right.
HENRY: You may think
Daniel Ottway is a freak.
You may find him unlikable.
But you have the luxury
of piecing together
the mosaic of emotions
and responses
which caused his mother's death
in a way
which he's totally incapable of.
Unfortunately, his Asperger
Syndrome won't prevent him
from living
with the consequences
of his tragic misjudgment
for the rest of his life.
I just thought
as long as he couldn't remember
anything, it was fine.
But if I hadn't told Bridget
about you and Uncle Graham
I mean, it's Dan
who's gonna be put away,
but it's my fault, isn't it?
My fault, his fault,
Dan's fault,
even her fault.
Oh, I don't know anymore.
I don't get it, though.
Where's the point
in devoting your life
to someone who can't
give anything back?
Bridget got a lot back from Dan.
You know that.
I meant Graham.
What did you get from him, Mum?
Sex?
Someone to shag?
You won't be 22 forever.
[Squeaking]
Oh, sorry.
Sorry.
It's okay.
Henry, I presume.
I'm Billy.
Pleased to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
It's probably not big enough.
To dry yourself with.
Henry.
Commiserations are in order,
I believe.
Your murder case
didn't go your way.
And there I was basking
in a sense of qualified success.
Two years.
Could have been a lot worse.
Unlawful killing without intent.
Yeah, but even the client
thought they'd got it right.
Then I'm sorry.
Again.
No, actually,
I'm sorry, all right?
For that stuff the other day.
I had no idea
about Mum keeping you away.
I suppose she thought she was
doing the right thing by you.
That's the weird thing,
isn't it, about having a kid.
It's like Glen taking Zak
to Australia.
Easy to convince yourself
sometimes
that what you want for yourself
is what's best for them.
I wouldn't know.
I never really got the chance.
Still, old snow,
isn't that what they say?
Do they?
Meaning, I suppose,
it melted a long time ago.
You've got a visitor.
Mia came to see me
last Thursday.
She tried to bring me some pens,
but they wouldn't let me
have them.
She said.
Shame.
Because they think you might
use them to harm yourself
or other people.
Crayons aren't the same, really,
but in 529 days,
I'll be able to write
with anything I like.
That's the spirit.
I don't understand.
It really isn't that much time
if I'm going to reorganize
the library system.
They were using
the Dewey Decimal System,
but I've persuaded them
to convert
to the Logan-Schull system
of classification,
which is considerably more
Dan.
Do you ever miss your mum?
I know I won't see her again.
I think about her
in my mind, you know.
And she smelled remarkably nice.
Yeah. Yes.
Look, Dan, um
I
You know
Phone home.
35,000.
Terrible, terrible bet.
I don't understand this
in any way.
No, don't bother.
I find it really relaxing.
You don't need destroy
its mystery.
Coming to bed anytime soon?
Yeah, after this hand,
okay, sweetie?
Okay.
How come you two
aren't living together?
Oh, God, we'd drive each other
mad in five minutes flat.
But he's okay about you sharing,
you know, with a bloke?
Oh, totally, yeah.
He knows I'm not into older men.
See?
But he had a pair.
That's the whole point.
Oh.
That was a bluff by the way.
About the older men.
I should teach you
how to play poker.
You could be a natural.
Actually, chess is my game,
wonder boy.
I'd thrash you.
Bet you don't even know
the rules.
Acorn Media